Sentencing
Kimberly Denece Bronson, 35, Ephraim, has pleaded guilty to intentionally harming her daughter in the presence of her other children and has been sent to the Utah State Prison for 1-15 years.
Bronson pleaded guilty to child abuse—intentionally inflicting serious physical injury—a second-degree felony, and domestic violence in the presence of a child, a third-degree felony.
In a plea negotiation, other charges of domestic violence, threatening violence, interfering with an arresting officer, intoxication, disorderly conduct and damaging a communication device were dismissed.
Bronson was arrested by Officer Dillon Rasmussen of the Ephraim Police Department on June 24 as he responded to a call of suspicious activity.
According to court records, Bronson was seen running after and screaming at her husband as he got in his truck and drove off. While Officer Rasmussen was interviewing the neighbors, one of Bronson’s children ran up and reported that her mom was hitting her sister.
Officer Rasmussen went to the home and interviewed a 15-year-old female victim, who testified that her mother walked in the house angry, drug her off the couch and started hitting her in the head. The victim also said her mother tried to choke her and stepped on her head.
This altercation occurred in the presence of four other children. The police officer noticed red marks and bruising on the victim’s neck, as well as redness and bruising around both eyes and cheeks.
During the subsequent interview, alcohol was detected on Bronson’s breath and she attempted to resist arrest. She was taken to the Sanpete County Jail.
Bronson’s had prior arrests in March of 2019 for DUI and reckless endangerment and in August of 2019 for driving on a denied driver’s license.
Justin Shane Dyches, 26, Fairview, has been sentenced to 120 days in the Sanpete County Jail for obstructing justice and illegal drug use.
Dyches was also placed on intensive court probation for two years; he may be released from jail after 90 days if he completes a substance abuse treatment program.
Dyches was caught on Jan. 29 harboring a fugitive in a bedroom in his grandmother’s house. According to Fairview Police Officer Mont Nielson, Dyches lied to the police and told them the suspect had left the house when in fact she was found hiding under a bed.
The fugitive was Amanda Kae Ryan, 29, Mt. Pleasant, who had reportedly stolen a car and driven it to meet up with Dyches.
A search of “Justin’s and Amanda’s property yielded heroin wrapped in tinfoil, a small baggie of methamphetamine and several pipes, both meth and marijuana,” according to court records. During the interview, Dyches admitted to using all three drugs in the previous few days.
In a plea-negotiation, he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, a third-degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor, while other charges were dropped.
Amanda Ryan was also arrested on second-degree felony charges of distribution of a controlled substance. In a police interview, she admitted to “selling meth to numerous people and that she picked up meth to distribute daily.” She allegedly committed this crime while out on probation. She is scheduled to appear in 6th District Court on March 31.
Jeremy Robert Walters, 26, Mt. Pleasant, has pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine and been placed on probation for two years and ordered to attend the Other Side Academy, a two-year behavior modification program.
If Walters does not successfully complete the program, he will be sentenced to prison.
In a plea-negotiation, Walters pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, in exchange for having other drug-related charges dropped.
Walters was caught dealing meth on Nov. 23 by Moroni Police Chief Robert Hill, who was stopping by the house of a known drug-user to make sure the person was still “clean.” According to court records, the officer witnessed Walters placing several small bags of white crystal-like substances into his backpack.
Walters eventually admitted to owning the drugs. In all, Chief Hill found eight bags of meth, razors, pipes and syringes. Walters said that he had the meth out on a table to share with everyone in the room and was about to light up when the police chief came to the door.
At the time of his arrest, Walters was out on probation for previous convictions.
